Atlas of the external diseases of the eye : including a brief treatise on the pathology and treatment / by O. Haab ; Authorized translation from the German, edited by G.E. de Schweinitz.

  • Haab O. (Otto), 1850-1931.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Atlas of the external diseases of the eye : including a brief treatise on the pathology and treatment / by O. Haab ; Authorized translation from the German, edited by G.E. de Schweinitz. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    nosis may be; considered established. For accurate denion- sti’ation of the gonococci cultures arc necessary. The prognosis is somewhat more favorable in infants than in adult patients. If a new-born infant is seen early enough, there is no reason why the eye should not be savecl, if the ]iroper treatment is employed, with two reserva- tions : If it is not tainted with hereditary syphilis, or very much enfeebled by other disease. In older patients recov- ery is always very doubtful; total or partial destruction of the cornea is to be feared even with the most careful management. It is one of the most dangerous diseases to which the eye is subject. I have repeatedly seen the loss of both eyes take place in spite of the most energetic and painstaking treatment. Prophylaxis is a matter of the greatest imj)ortance in purulent ophthalmia. Credo’s method is a practically cer- tain ])reventive of its occurrence in the new-born, and may materially influence the severity of the proce.ss in the adult. It consists in the instillation of one drop of a 2 })er cent, solution of silver nitrate into the eye immediately after the first bath. No other measures are necessary excej)t the proper precautions against subsequent infection. This method has proved very successful and demonstrates conclusively that silver nitrate is the most effective remedy against gonococci, a very small quantity sufficing to check their further growth. All gonorrlieal patients, and those who come in contact with them or with patients suffering from gonorrheal con- junctivitis, must be carefully warned of the great danger of infection. If one eye only is affected, as frequently ha])pens in adults, the sound eye should be protected from contact with the infectious secretion by a collodion .shield as soon as the diagnosis is definitely settled. The eye i.s covered with a thin ]>ad of cotton over which a piece of linen is fitted, and the edges glued to the skin with collo- dion, after which the entire dressing is given a second coat of collodion. To make sure that infection has been suc- cessfully warded off, the shield must be loosened every